Chapter 371: The Clients
The following morning, before the Fate-Link Bureau had even officially opened
its doors for the daily cycle, Sora received two urgent appointment
notifications.
The first was from Lyra Frost.
[Sora, I need a favor. There were too many variables in play yesterday so I
didn't get a chance to mention it. An elder I know is looking to find a match
for her child. The parameters are… specific. I'll come by later to discuss the
logistics.]
The second message originated from an unrecognized terminal.
[Greetings. I am Zhou Fang. I wish to register my son for matchmaking. His
requirements are: Pointed ears, pale skin, several hundred years older than him
but looks younger. Can your bureau facilitate this?]
Sora read the second message three times. Ruby, leaning over her shoulder, also
audited the text three times.
"Boss… this second inquiry… what is the intended logic?"
"It means someone is actively scouting for an Elven daughter-in-law," Sora said,
setting the communicator down.
"A human seeking an Elf?! Is that even a viable match?!"
"Why wouldn't it be? Imperial Law contains zero prohibitions against it."
Sora picked up her pen and logged the day's objectives into her planner:
1. AM: Receive client referred by Lyra Frost.
2. PM: Receive registration from Zhou Fang. [MEMO: Compile all high-fidelity
Elven dossiers.]
At 09:30, Lyra Frost manifested at the entrance of the bureau. She was
accompanied by a party that was somewhat… unexpected. Or rather, a party of two.
The first was a middle-aged woman with permed hair, wearing a floral-print dress
and clutching a basket of fruit. The moment she entered, she slammed the fruit
onto the desk.
"You must be Owner Sora? Lyra mentioned your service. Said this place was
calibrated for reliability."
Sora immediately engaged her "Professional Host" protocol. "Greetings. Please,
take a seat."
The woman sat down and gestured toward the door. "Get in here! Stop
recalculating and move!"
Half a head peeked around the doorframe.
A girl in her early twenties, hair tied in twin-tails, wearing a generic T-shirt
and trousers. Her fingers were wrapped in adhesive bandages. She was
aesthetically pleasing, but her posture was hunched—radiating a "Social Anxiety"
debuff. She nearly tripped over the threshold.
"Mom, I told you… I didn't want to initiate this session..."
"Silence," the mother snapped without looking back.
The girl promptly went offline, shuffling over to a chair beside her mother.
Lyra sat nearby, her expression a mix of weary resignation and the amusement of
a bystander. It was clear she was acting as the logistical bridge for this
encounter.
Sora audited the mother-daughter duo. The mother was extroverted, aggressive,
and clearly possessed a "Bargaining" skill high enough to cause a merchant to
undergo a system crash. The daughter was quiet, introverted, and possessed the
presence-parameter of a wooden post.
"Owner Sora, let's skip to the data," the mother said. "I want to find a partner
for my daughter."
Sora nodded, pulling up a registration form. "Understood, Auntie. Let's audit
the basic parameters. Name?"
"Wen Xiao."
"Age?"
"Twenty-two."
"Vocation?"
The mother glanced at her daughter. Wen Xiao kept her head down, her voice
barely audible. "Imperial Public Hospital… trainee nurse."
"Ah, a medical professional. Excellent for stability," Sora noted. "Requirements
for a partner? Height, age, vocation, race?"
"I—" Wen Xiao began, but her mother cut her off.
"She has zero requirements. Anything is acceptable as long as he's a serious
individual focused on household stability."
Wen Xiao's face turned a violent shade of crimson. Her lips moved, but she
swallowed her protest.
Sora looked at Lyra. Lyra offered a subtle shake of her head—the universal
signal for: Don't bother. Follow the mother's script.
"Understood. Logged," Sora said. "Auntie, does your daughter have any
specialties or hobbies we should highlight in the profile?"
"She can cook, she can clean, she has a stable temperament, and she doesn't
waste Od on frivolous items—"
"MOM!" Wen Xiao finally reached her threshold. "Are you describing a daughter or
scouting for a domestic servant?!"
The mother glared at her. "What's wrong with a domestic servant? Even a servant
needs a high-quality employer."
Wen Xiao was left speechless, pouting and turning her head away in a "Silent
Protocol" strike.
Sora looked at them, silently lighting a metaphorical candle for the girl's
autonomy.
In the corner, the soul-fire of the "Skeleton Decoration" flickered. Kaito had
manifested again today. He found the daily operations of this bureau to be
significantly more entertaining than simulated projections. Every client was a
unique story, carrying their own background, hardships, and expectations.
Sora's methodology also felt fresh to him. She didn't process clients with the
cold, formulaic bureaucracy of an Imperial official, nor did she measure
everything by the ruthless efficiency KPIs of Skele-Greed. Her approach was
simple: treat humans as humans, speak clearly, and facilitate a match.
Beneath Kaito's hood, Bochi peered out through the fabric. He was currently
operating with maximum curiosity regarding human romantic variables.
"Master, that sister is so shy," Bochi whispered at a frequency only Kaito could
hear.
"Mhm."
"Her mother is high-aggression."
"Mhm."
"Master, what kind of match do you think she needs?"
Kaito considered the variables. "Someone capable of acting as a defensive
barrier against her mother."
Bochi processed this answer and nodded vigorously. "Master, your 'Experience'
parameter is so high!"
After logging Wen Xiao's data, the mother departed, satisfied, clutching her
empty basket. Wen Xiao followed, but at the doorway, she looked back at Sora.
Her lips moved.
Sora read her "Silent Lip Protocol": [Please. Help me.]
Sora offered a thumbs-up.
Around noon, the second client manifested. Zhou Fang.
She scanned the shop the moment she entered and nodded. "Mhm. More professional
than my sensors predicted."
Sora invited her to sit. "Ms. Zhou, your message mentioned you were scouting for
an Elf for your son?"
"Correct." Zhou Fang sat with a straight back. "Those were his stated
conditions. Pointed ears, pale skin, several centuries older but looks young. I
audited the possibilities, and 'Elf' was the only logical result."
"...Is your son operating within normal parameters? Is he serious?"
"If he isn't, I am."
Sora opened the Elven dossier Kaito had helped secure. "We currently have seven
single Elven tourists in this city. Three male, four female. Does your son have
a gender preference?"
"Female."
"Understood. That leaves four candidates." Sora pulled up their profiles. "Ages
are 230, 410, 580, and 700 years respectively."
Zhou Fang's expression didn't flicker. "Which one has the most stable
temperament?"
Sora thought for a moment. "We haven't conducted in-depth interviews yet, but
according to the metadata, the 230-year-old female is a member of the Imperial
Cultural Exchange Squad. Her vocation involves cross-species communication. She
should be highly approachable."
"We'll take her."
Sora nearly dropped her pen. "Ms. Zhou, that's only the first candidate. Don't
you want to audit the other three?"
"Unnecessary." Zhou Fang stood up. "Arrange a manifestation between my son and
that Elven girl. I'll handle the remaining variables."
"...Very well."
Zhou Fang grabbed her bag and exited with clinical efficiency. Sora stared at
the closed door, thinking: That woman's 'Aura' parameter is no lower than the
Tier-4 Anomaly from this morning.
In the corner, Kaito's soul-fire pulsed again. Bochi leaned into his ear.
"Master, that Auntie is incredible. Her decisiveness exceeds even General
Greed."
Kaito didn't tell him to shut it this time. He agreed.
"Sora," Kaito said.
Sora looked up.
"The contact protocols for the Elven girl must be coordinated through the
Imperial Tour Supervisor." Kaito paused. "I will have Greed initiate the
logistics."
Sora nodded. Just as she was about to resume her filing, the bell chimed again.
A Blood-kin wearing a formal Imperial uniform stood at the door. It was 749, the
Myriad Commander and direct subordinate to Skele-Greed.
749 held a stack of official documents in one hand and a high-security file
folder in the other. His crimson eyes swept the room, eventually locking onto
Kaito in the corner.
His body snapped into a rigid salute. "My Sovereign."
His voice was low, but every unit in the room heard it. Ruby and Misty began to
vibrate with renewed terror.
Kaito waved a hand. "Dispense with the formalities. Report."
749 resumed a standard stance and placed the folder on the desk. "General Greed
requested that I deliver the supplementary data for the Elven manifests the
Sovereign required."
He paused, his expression becoming slightly complex.
"State the remaining variables," Kaito commanded.
"The General added a personal message, My Lord."
"Proceed."
749 hesitated for a micro-second. "The General says: 'Regarding the Sovereign's
new vocation as a Matchmaker… please ensure this data does not reach the
Evernight Daily press.'"
☆☆☆
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